MO MO - Carol Cooper, 86, Kansas City, 17 Sept 2004

Dogs aid in new search for woman

Kansas City police used cadaver-sniffing dogs Saturday to search for the possible remains of an elderly woman who was beaten and robbed on Christmas Eve 1999 and disappeared in 2004.
Police fear that the woman, Carol Cooper, is dead since she has not used her passport, credit cards or bank accounts, or talked to friends or relatives since September 2004.
Cooper, who was 86 when she vanished, left her assisted living center Sept. 17, 2004, for her daily walk. A surveillance camera from the center in the 8100 block of Wornall Road showed her carrying a black bag.
She never returned
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/13574898.htm

Missing victim’s voice can’t be silenced

For years, the Christmas Eve rape tormented Carol Cooper. She never shook the depression, chronic headaches and desire to die that followed it.

Friday, more than 10 years after she was beaten and raped, her attacker finally was sentenced to life in prison.

She wasn’t there to see it.

Yet everyone in the courtroom heard her words.
...
On her forearm, there was a tattoo.

In a thick German accent, Cooper told the nurses she had survived a concentration camp during the Holocaust. She apologized for making them come in to the hospital on Christmas Eve. When she spoke about the rape, Cooper told them she wanted to die.
...
Death come and free me from the horrible headaches.

Death, why not on Christmas Eve 1999? Why such a prolonging agony?

Remember the horrible hours on Christmas Eve 1999, when I cried out to you, ‘Would you do that to your mother?’ … I don’t know how much longer I can last.
...

She's still missing. A lengthy, haunting retrospective of the case, at:

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/26/1839496/missing-victims-voice-cant-be.html

Project Jason

http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=7944.0

NamUs Profile

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/233

North American Missing Persons Network

http://www.nampn.org/cases/cooper_carol.html

wfgodot said:

Missing victim’s voice can’t be silenced

For years, the Christmas Eve rape tormented Carol Cooper. She never shook the depression, chronic headaches and desire to die that followed it.

Friday, more than 10 years after she was beaten and raped, her attacker finally was sentenced to life in prison.

She wasn’t there to see it.

Yet everyone in the courtroom heard her words.
...
On her forearm, there was a tattoo.

In a thick German accent, Cooper told the nurses she had survived a concentration camp during the Holocaust. She apologized for making them come in to the hospital on Christmas Eve. When she spoke about the rape, Cooper told them she wanted to die.
...
Death come and free me from the horrible headaches.

Death, why not on Christmas Eve 1999? Why such a prolonging agony?

Remember the horrible hours on Christmas Eve 1999, when I cried out to you, ‘Would you do that to your mother?’ … I don’t know how much longer I can last.
...

She's still missing. A lengthy, haunting retrospective of the case, at:

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/26/1839496/missing-victims-voice-cant-be.html

Click to expand...

This is such a sad case. I wonder why she was never found. The Charley Project says that no foul play is suspected but also says they don't think she had any plans to harm herself, so it makes you wonder what happened to her. She had suffered so much in her life with the holocaust and the violent rape and robbery. I hope her rapist is still in prison. He truly ruined her life.

Missing Person Case






Missing Person / NamUs #MP233 Carol M. Cooper, Female, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact September 17, 2004
Missing From Kansas City, Missouri
Missing Age 86 Years

First Name Carol
Middle NameM.
Last NameCooper
Nickname/Alias--

Sex Female
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian
Height 5' 0" (60 Inches)
Weight 100 - 115 lbs

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactSeptember 17, 2004
NamUs Case CreatedDecember 12, 2008
Last Known Location Map
Location Kansas City, Missouri
County Jackson County

Circumstances of Disappearance
Carol was last seen at her residence in the vicinity of the 8100 block of Wornall in Kansas City, MO. She left the residence on foot but never returned.
Carol is known to frequent the plaza area as well as the Independence Square area. She may be suffering from dementia. Carol has a German/Austrian accent. Uses public transportation. Swims and walks extensively.

Physical Description
Hair Color Gray or Partially Gray
Head Hair Description Partially gray and brown. Hair is worn short and is straight.

Left Eye Color Green
Right Eye Color Green

Accessories
black carpet bag

Clothing
Black and gray sweater, black skirt

Footwear
white athletic shoes

Bumping for Carol - it's now been over 17 years.

Anniversary of disappearance today.

Missing From: Armour Homes at 8100 Wornall Cooper was last seen walking Sept. 17, 2004, wearing a black skirt, black and gray sweater, white tennis shoes and carrying a black carpet bag.

Despite being 86 years old at the time of her disappearance, she was in very good physical condition, walking and swimming extensively, but she may have suffered from some dementia.

She was known to ride public transportation and frequent the Country Club Plaza and the Square in Independence, Mo.


She has a pronounced Austrian accent and wears a hearing aid.

• 
• 
• 

Cooper, circa 2004; Terry Birmingham

• Missing Since 09/17/2004
• Missing From Kansas City, Missouri
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 02/25/1918 (105)
• Age 86 years old
• Height and Weight 5'0, 100 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A black skirt, a gray and black sweater, and white sneakers. Carrying a black carpet bag.
• Medical Conditions Cooper may be suffering from headaches, depression and dementia. She was in good physical condition at the time of her disappearance.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Gray hair, brown eyes. Cooper wears a hearing aid. She has a pronounced German/Austrian accent.

Details of Disappearance​

Cooper was last seen at her residence at Armour Homes, an assisted living center in the 8100 block of Wornall in Kansas City, Missouri on September 17, 2004. She left there on foot and never returned. She has never been heard from again.

On December 24, 1999, nearly five years before she went missing, Cooper was beaten, raped and robbed of $225 by a stranger in her home in the 4700 block of Jarboe Street in Kansas City. She described the perpetrator is described as an African-American male in his mid-thirties, 5'10 and 160 pounds.

Authorities got a DNA profile of her attacker and filed six "John Doe" felony charges against the individual. Based on his DNA, investigators determined the man had also attacked two other elderly women in the Kansas City area, one incident occurring as recently as 2005.

In August 2007, Terry U. Birmingham was arrested in connection with the attack on Cooper. A photograph of Birmingham is posted with this case summary. He went to trial in January 2010 and was convicted of forcible rape, robbery and burglary.

The attack distressed Cooper severely and she began experiencing headaches and depression after it occurred. It is unclear whether attack or Birmingham had anything to do with her later disappearance, but authorities do not think she left of her own accord or planned to harm herself.

Cooper had an active lifestyle in 2004 and utilized public transportation to get around. She frequented the Independence Square and the County Club Plaza areas of Kansas City, and liked to attend cultural events. She swims and walks extensively. She has not used her passport, credit cards or bank accounts since September 2004.

Foul play is not suspected in her case, but authorities believe she may be deceased.

Hopingtohelp said:

This is such a sad case. I wonder why she was never found. The Charley Project says that no foul play is suspected but also says they don't think she had any plans to harm herself, so it makes you wonder what happened to her. She had suffered so much in her life with the holocaust and the violent rape and robbery. I hope her rapist is still in prison. He truly ruined her life.

Click to expand...

Terry U. Birmingham Obituary (2020) | Kansas City, Missouri

Looks like he passed away

khaec said:

Terry U. Birmingham Obituary (2020) | Kansas City, Missouri

Looks like he passed away

Click to expand...

And she is still missing.. that is so sad.